The present invention relates generally to railing systems especially suited for outdoor use, and more particularly to a top and bottom rail configuration for such railing systems.
Railing systems for any number of outdoor applications are well known. For example, residential decks, pool decks, playgrounds, etc., all utilize any number of conventional railing systems. Such decking and railing systems are typically made of pressure treated lumber particularly suited for outdoor use. With conventional railing systems, spindles are vertically disposed between a top and bottom rail. Typically, the spindles are nailed or screwed onto the flat inwardly facing surfaces of the top and bottom rails. In order to provide the railing system with a xe2x80x9cfinishedxe2x80x9d appearance, face boards are typically attached to the side edges of the rails thereby defining a generally U-shaped channel with the rails into which the ends of the spindles extend. However, this conventional configuration has significant drawbacks. For example, the U-shaped channel is a favorite nesting place for any manner of insects, including wasps, bees, and the like. Also, this system requires additional materials, for example the side face boards, and is fairly labor intensive in that the spindles must first be screwed or nailed to the top and bottom rails and then the face boards must be attached to the rails. This process and expense is undesirable, particularly in the residential decking industry wherein homeowners frequently install or build their own deck systems.
With another conventional railing system, the spindles are attached to the sides of the top and bottom rail, which are oriented so that their wider sides extend vertically. In other words, the spindles do not extend between the inwardly facing surfaces of the rails, but are nailed or screwed to the longer or wider sides of the rails. The spindles typically include angled ends that xe2x80x9cmergexe2x80x9d into the sides of the rails. This conventional system also has significant drawbacks. For example, most state building or construction codes require that the rail spindles are not spaced apart beyond a maximum distance. To attach such spindles to the sides of the rails, the spacing must be pre-measured and marked on the rails. Additionally, the spindles also have a tendency to xe2x80x9crackxe2x80x9d or bow with respect to the rails over time, particularly with pressure treated lumber wherein the wood tends to alternately lose and absorb moisture. The ends of the spindles tend to pull away from the rails or the spindles bow in the middle and the railing system generally loses its finished uniform look over time.
The present invention relates to an inexpensive and simple railing system that overcomes a number of disadvantages noted with prior art systems.
It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved railing system particularly suited for outdoor use.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide rails for use in outdoor railing systems that eliminate many disadvantages of conventional rails.
Still an additional object of the present invention is to provide improved prefabricated rail sections that are relatively easy to install.
And yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved top and bottom rails for outdoor railing systems that can accommodate any number of conventional spindles.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide improved outdoor railing system rails that help the railing system retain its finished appearance over a longer period of time without additional expense or processes in building the railing system or manufacturing the rails.
In accordance with the objects and purposes of the invention, a rail is provided for an outdoor railing system wherein a plurality of generally vertically disposed spindles are attached to upper and lower embodiments of the rail. Each rail includes top and bottom edges with first and second opposite sides defined between the edges along the longitudinal length of the rail. The top and bottom edges generally have a width less than that of the sides such that the rail may have, for example, a vertically oriented rectangular profile. The spindles are attachable to the rail along or against one of the sides.
Each rail includes a plurality of generally equally spaced recesses defined along the side in which the spindles are attached. The spindle ends fit into the recesses. Each recess comprises a multi-sided configuration having an open side defined through the bottom edge of the rail so that spindles having a complimentary shaped end can be pressed into the recesses from the sides of the rails.
Thus, it should be understood that according to the invention, the rails are not attached at their ends between inwardly facing sections of the top and bottom rail, but are anchored within recesses defined along the sides of the top and bottom rail. In a preferred embodiment, the recesses are generally U-shaped with the open end of the recess defined in the bottom or inwardly disposed edge of the rails.
Each recess has a configuration SO as preferably to engage at least two surfaces of a spindle inserted therein to prevent the spindle from twisting within the recess relative to the rail. In this regard, the spindle need not have a shape or profile that exactly matches the configuration of the rail recess so long as the spindle is engaged by the recess to prevent twisting or movement of the spindle relative to the rail.
In one preferred embodiment, the recesses comprise a generally flat inner face disposed in a generally vertical plane against which a side of a spindle can abut. The end of the spindle may further abut against the top side of the recess. The sides of the recesses are preferably generally flat and defined in planes generally perpendicular to the inner face.
Preferred embodiments of the rails and railing system according to the invention are formed of lumber or wood, particularly pressure treated lumber suited for outdoor use. However, it should be appreciated that the particular materials used in the present invention are not a limitation. For example, the rails may be formed of a plastic or other suitable material.
It should also be appreciated that the rails as described herein are suitable for use as a top or bottom rail in a railing system.
It should also be appreciated that the rails are also suitable for use as a stair rail wherein the rails are disposed at other than a horizontal angle. For example, the rails will generally follow the slope of the stairs. In this embodiment, the recesses are angled at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the edge of the rail so that the spindles can be attached vertically when the rail is used as a non-horizontal stair rail.
The rails according to the invention are also mateable with opposite similarly configured rails such that the sides of the rails having the recesses defined therein are facing or abut each other. In this manner, the recesses align and enclose the spindle ends between the rails. This gives a unique finished appearance to the railing system and allows the rails to accommodate several different styles of spindles that are not particularly suited for attachment to the sides of the rails. For example, many conventional spindles are ornate and have squared ends with flat bottoms that look best when attached between inwardly facing surfaces of the rails. The rails according to the present invention can accommodate such spindles.
The present invention also relates to an outdoor railing system, including pre-fabricated rail sections, having top and bottom rail configurations with a plurality of generally equally spaced spindles attached between the top and bottom rails. Each rail configuration includes at least one top and bottom rail as described above.
In an alternate configuration of the railing system, two such rails are provided for each top and bottom rail configuration such that the spindles are xe2x80x9csandwichedxe2x80x9d between the facing rails. As discussed above, in this configuration the uniquely configured rails can accommodate a vast number of conventional spindles.
Preferred embodiments of the rails and railing system will be described below in greater detail through use of the attached figures.